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S.B. 111 Enrolled

             1     

UTILITIES - UNDERGROUND FACILITIES AND

             2     
PIPELINES

             3     
2011 GENERAL SESSION

             4     
STATE OF UTAH

             5     
Chief Sponsor: Scott K. Jenkins

             6     
House Sponsor: Michael T. Morley

             7     
             8      LONG TITLE
             9      General Description:
             10          This bill addresses utility facilities, including underground facilities and pipelines.
             11      Highlighted Provisions:
             12          This bill:
             13          .    defines "location" for utility facility marking purposes;
             14          .    provides for the marking of underground utilities;
             15          .    addresses communication between excavators and operators of utility facilities;
             16          .    provides for a utility facility operator's optional waiver of limitations on excavation
             17      with power tools in the vicinity of a utility facility;
             18          .    provides for liability for an operator that fails to mark a facility, leading to damage
             19      of another operator's facility;
             20          .    increases the amount of civil penalty for certain violations;
             21          .    provides for a penalty for violations of Title 54, Chapter 13, Natural Gas Pipeline
             22      Safety; and
             23          .    makes technical changes.
             24      Money Appropriated in this Bill:
             25          None
             26      Other Special Clauses:
             27          None
             28      Utah Code Sections Affected:
             29      AMENDS:


             30          54-8a-2, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2009, Chapter 209
             31          54-8a-4, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 344
             32          54-8a-5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 344
             33          54-8a-5.5, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 344
             34          54-8a-6, as last amended by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 344
             35          54-8a-8, as repealed and reenacted by Laws of Utah 2008, Chapter 344
             36      ENACTS:
             37          54-8a-7.5, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             38          54-13-8, Utah Code Annotated 1953
             39     
             40      Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
             41          Section 1. Section 54-8a-2 is amended to read:
             42           54-8a-2. Definitions.
             43          As used in this chapter:
             44          (1) "Association" means two or more operators organized to receive notification of
             45      excavation activities in a specified area, as provided by Section 54-8a-9 .
             46          (2) "Board" means the Underground Facilities Damage Dispute Board created in
             47      Section 54-8a-13 .
             48          (3) "Emergency" means an occurrence or suspected natural gas leak necessitating
             49      immediate action to prevent or mitigate loss of, or damage to, life, health, property, or essential
             50      public services.
             51          (4) "Excavate" or "excavation" means an operation in which earth, rock, or other
             52      material on or below the ground is moved or displaced by tools, equipment, or explosives.
             53          (5) "Excavator" means any person or entity that excavates or conducts excavation
             54      activities.
             55          (6) "48 hours" means a 48-hour period occurring during business days which includes
             56      any day except Saturday, Sunday, or a legal holiday.
             57          (7) "Hand tool" means an implement:


             58          (a) powered by hand; or
             59          (b) designed to avoid damaging an underground facility, including a vacuum
             60      excavation tool and air knife.
             61          (8) "Location" means the site of a proposed area of excavation described [by]:
             62          (a) (i) by street address, if available; [and]
             63          (ii) by the area at that street address to be excavated; [or] and
             64          (iii) as specified in Subsection 54-8a-4 (3) or 54-8a-5 (2)(b)(ii); or
             65          (b) if there is no street address available, by the area of excavation using any available
             66      designations, including a nearby street or road, an intersection, GPS coordinates, or other
             67      generally accepted methods.
             68          (9) "Location request assignment" means a number assigned to a proposed excavation
             69      by an association or operator upon receiving notice of the proposed excavation from the
             70      excavator.
             71          (10) (a) "Operator" means a person who owns, operates, or maintains an underground
             72      facility.
             73          (b) "Operator" does not include an owner of real property where underground facilities
             74      are:
             75          (i) located within:
             76          (A) the owner's property; or
             77          (B) a public street adjacent to the owner's property, a right-of-way adjacent to the
             78      owner's property, or a public utility easement adjacent to the owner's property;
             79          (ii) used exclusively to furnish services to the owner's property; and
             80          (iii) maintained under the operation and control of that owner.
             81          (11) "Person" includes:
             82          (a) an individual, government entity, corporation, partnership, association, or company;
             83      and
             84          (b) the trustee, receiver, assignee, and personal representative of a person listed in
             85      Subsection (11)(a).


             86          (12) "Sewer lateral cleanout" means a point of access where a sewer lateral can be
             87      serviced.
             88          (13) "24 hours" means a 24-hour period, excluding hours occurring during a Saturday,
             89      Sunday, or a legal holiday.
             90          (14) "Underground facility" means personal property that is buried or placed below
             91      ground level for use in the storage or conveyance of any of the following:
             92          (a) water;
             93          (b) sewage, including sewer laterals;
             94          (c) communications, including electronic, photonic, telephonic, or telegraphic
             95      communications;
             96          (d) television, cable television, or other telecommunication signals, including
             97      transmission to subscribers of video or other programming;
             98          (e) electric power;
             99          (f) oil, gas, or other fluid and gaseous substances;
             100          (g) steam;
             101          (h) slurry; or
             102          (i) dangerous materials or products.
             103          Section 2. Section 54-8a-4 is amended to read:
             104           54-8a-4. Notice of excavation.
             105          (1) (a) Before excavating, an excavator shall notify each operator with an underground
             106      facility in the area of the proposed excavation.
             107          (b) The requirements of Subsection (1)(a) do not apply:
             108          (i) if there is an emergency;
             109          (ii) while gardening; or
             110          (iii) while tilling private ground.
             111          (2) The notice required by Subsection (1) shall:
             112          (a) be given:
             113          (i) by telephone;


             114          (ii) in person; or
             115          (iii) by other means acceptable to each operator;
             116          (b) be given not:
             117          (i) less than 48 hours before excavation begins; or
             118          (ii) more than 14 days before excavation begins; and
             119          (c) include the proposed excavation's anticipated:
             120          (i) location, with reasonable specificity;
             121          (ii) dimensions;
             122          (iii) type; and
             123          (iv) duration.
             124          (3) If the proposed excavation's anticipated location and dimensions cannot be
             125      described as required under Subsection (2)(c) or as requested in accordance with Subsection
             126      54-8a-5 (2)(b), an excavator shall outline the proposed excavation site [in white paint, stakes,
             127      flags, or other industry-accepted manner] using as a guideline the then-existing Uniform Color
             128      Code and Marking Guidelines, Appendix B, published by the Common Ground Alliance, as
             129      amended in the current version of the excavators' guide published by the statewide association
             130      established in Section 54-8a-9 .
             131          (4) If more than one excavator will operate at the same excavation site, each excavator
             132      shall provide the notice required by this section.
             133          (5) If there is an association in the county, notice to that association constitutes notice
             134      to each operator that has facilities within the proposed excavation site.
             135          (6) (a) Notice given under this section is valid for 14 days from the day on which the
             136      notice is given.
             137          (b) If an excavation will continue beyond the 14-day period under Subsection (6)(a),
             138      the excavator shall provide notice of that fact at least 48 hours, but no sooner than six calendar
             139      days, before expiration of the 14-day period.
             140          (c) A notice under Subsection (6)(b) is valid for 14 days from the day on which the
             141      previous notice expires.


             142          (d) An excavator shall give notice as provided in this Subsection (6) for the duration of
             143      the excavation.
             144          (7) If markings made by the operator have been disturbed so that the markings no
             145      longer identify the underground facility:
             146          (a) before excavating the site an excavator shall notify:
             147          (i) the association; or
             148          (ii) each operator; and
             149          (b) the operator shall mark the area again within 48 hours of the renotification.
             150          (8) An excavator may begin excavation if:
             151          (a) (i) all underground facilities have been:
             152          (A) located; and
             153          (B) marked; or
             154          (ii) the operators have indicated that there are no underground facilities within the
             155      proposed excavation site;
             156          (b) (i) 48 hours have elapsed from the time of initial notice; and
             157          (ii) the excavator has not:
             158          (A) been notified by the operator; or
             159          (B) received a request for a meeting under Subsection 54-8a-5 (2); or
             160          (c) 48 hours have elapsed from the time of renotification under Subsection (6).
             161          (9) Unless an operator remarks an area pursuant to Subsection (7), the excavator shall
             162      be responsible for the costs incurred by an operator to remark its underground facilities
             163      following the second or subsequent notice given by an excavator for a proposed excavation.
             164          Section 3. Section 54-8a-5 is amended to read:
             165           54-8a-5. Marking of underground facilities.
             166          (1) (a) Within 48 hours of the receipt of the notice required by Section 54-8a-4 , the
             167      operator shall:
             168          (i) mark the location of its underground facilities in the area of the proposed
             169      excavation; or


             170          (ii) notify the excavator, by telephonic or electronic message or indication at the
             171      excavation site, that the operator does not have any underground facility in the area of the
             172      proposed excavation.
             173          (b) The underground facility shall be marked [with stakes, paint, or in some other
             174      customary way, indicating, at the option of the operator, either:] using as a guideline the
             175      then-existing Uniform Color Code and Marking Guidelines, Appendix B, published by the
             176      Common Ground Alliance, as amended in the current version of the excavators' guide
             177      published by the statewide association established in Section 54-8a-9 .
             178          [(i) the approximate centerline of the underground facility; or]
             179          [(ii) the approximate outside dimensions of both sides of the underground facility.]
             180          (2) (a) The operator is not required to mark the underground facilities within 48 hours
             181      if:
             182          (i) the proposed excavation:
             183          (A) is not identified in accordance with Subsection 54-8a-4 (2) or is not marked as
             184      provided in Subsection 54-8a-4 (3);
             185          (B) is located in a remote area;
             186          (C) is an extensive excavation; or
             187          (D) presents other constraints that make it unreasonably difficult for the operator to
             188      comply with the marking requirements of this section; or
             189          (ii) the operator is not able to readily locate the underground facilities from the surface
             190      with standard underground detection devices.
             191          (b) If the operator cannot proceed with the marking because of a situation described in
             192      Subsection (2)(a), the operator shall contact the excavator within 48 hours after the excavator's
             193      notice of excavation or request for a location request assignment made in accordance with
             194      Section 54-8a-4 and:
             195          (i) request a meeting at the proposed excavation site or some other mutually agreed
             196      upon location[.]; or
             197          (ii) at the operator's discretion, contact the excavator and request the proposed


             198      excavation site be outlined in accordance with Subsection 54-8a-4 (3).
             199          (c) For a situation described under Subsection (2)(a)(i), the meeting or completed
             200      outlining of the proposed excavation site constitutes the beginning of a new 48-hour period
             201      within which the operator must begin marking the underground facilities.
             202          (d) (i) For the situation described under Subsection (2)(a)(ii), the excavator and
             203      operator shall agree on a plan of excavation designed to prevent damage to the operator's
             204      underground facility.
             205          (ii) Notwithstanding the agreement, the excavator shall proceed in a manner that is
             206      reasonably calculated to avoid damage to the underground facility.
             207          (e) (i) An operator need not mark or locate an underground facility the operator does
             208      not own.
             209          (ii) An underground facility under Subsection (2)(e)(i) includes a water or sewer lateral
             210      or a facility running from a house to a garage or outbuilding.
             211          (f) (i) An operator may mark the location of a known facility connected to the
             212      operator's facilities that is not owned or operated by the operator.
             213          (ii) Marking a known facility under Subsection (2)(f)(i) imposes no liability on the
             214      operator for the accuracy of the marking.
             215          [(3) The markings required by this section shall conform with marking standards
             216      established by the American Public Works Association for temporary markings.]
             217          [(4)] (3) Each marking is valid for not more than 14 calendar days from the date notice
             218      is given.
             219          [(5)] (4) If multiple lines exist:
             220          (a) the markings must indicate the number of lines; or
             221          (b) all lines must be marked.
             222          Section 4. Section 54-8a-5.5 is amended to read:
             223           54-8a-5.5. Determining the precise location of marked underground facilities.
             224          (1) [(a)] An excavator may not use any power-operated or power-driven excavating or
             225      boring equipment within 24 inches of the markings made in accordance with Section 54-8a-5


             226      unless:
             227          (a) the excavator determines the exact location of the underground facility by
             228      excavating with hand tools to confirm that the excavation will not damage the underground
             229      facilities[.]; or
             230          (b) [An operator may waive, in writing or electronically,] the operator provides an
             231      excavator with written or electronic notice waiving the requirement that the excavator
             232      determine the exact location of the underground facilities by excavating with hand tools.
             233          (2) Power-operated or power-driven excavating or boring equipment may be used for
             234      the removal of any existing pavement if there is no underground facility contained in the
             235      pavement, as marked by the operator.
             236          [(3) The excavator may use power-operated or power-driven excavating or boring
             237      equipment within 24 inches of the markings only:]
             238          [(a) to a depth agreed upon by the operator; and]
             239          [(b) if allowed by the operator.]
             240          Section 5. Section 54-8a-6 is amended to read:
             241           54-8a-6. Duties and liabilities of an excavator.
             242          (1) Damage to an underground facility by an excavator who excavates but fails to
             243      comply with Section 54-8a-4 , is prima facie evidence that the excavator is liable for any
             244      damage caused by the negligence of that excavator.
             245          (2) (a) An excavator is not liable for a civil penalty under this chapter if the excavator
             246      has:
             247          (i) given proper notice of the proposed excavation as required in this chapter;
             248          (ii) marked the area of the proposed excavation as required in Section 54-8a-4 ;
             249          (iii) complied with Section 54-8a-5.5 ; and
             250          (iv) complied with Section 54-8a-7 .
             251          (b) An excavator is liable for damage incurred by an operator if:
             252          (i) the operator complies with Section 54-8a-5 ; and
             253          (ii) the damage occurs within 24 inches of the operator's markings or the physical


             254      presence of an above ground facility, including a manhole, meter, or junction box.
             255          Section 6. Section 54-8a-7.5 is enacted to read:
             256          54-8a-7.5. Third-party damages caused by failure to locate.
             257          (1) If an operator fails to locate a facility as required by this chapter and an excavator
             258      damages another operator's facility of a similar size and appearance that fits surface markings
             259      as required by Subsection 54-8a-5 (1)(b), the operator who failed to locate its facility is liable
             260      for the costs of damage to the facility caused by the excavator if:
             261          (a) the excavator complies with Sections 54-8a-4 , 54-8a-5.5 , and 54-8a-6 ; and
             262          (b) the excavator demonstrates that the damage is the direct result of the operator's
             263      failure to locate its facility.
             264          (2) An excavator who damages a third-party operator's facility as described in
             265      Subsection (1):
             266          (a) shall pay for the costs of repairing the damaged facility; and
             267          (b) may seek recovery of the costs of damage from the operator who failed to mark its
             268      facility.
             269          (3) Resolution of a dispute under this section may be in accordance with Section
             270      54-8a-13 .
             271          Section 7. Section 54-8a-8 is amended to read:
             272           54-8a-8. Civil penalty for damage -- Exceptions -- Other remedies.
             273          (1) A civil penalty may be imposed for a violation of this chapter as provided in this
             274      section.
             275          (2) A civil penalty under this section may be imposed on:
             276          (a) any person who violates this chapter in an amount no greater than [$2,500] $5,000
             277      for each violation with a maximum civil penalty of $100,000 per excavation; or
             278          (b) an excavator who fails to provide notice of an excavation in accordance with
             279      Section 54-8a-4 in an amount no greater than $500 in addition to the amount under Subsection
             280      (2)(a).
             281          (3) Notwithstanding Subsection (2)(a), a penalty under this chapter may not be


             282      imposed on an excavator or operator unless the excavator or operator fails to comply with this
             283      chapter and damages an underground facility.
             284          (4) The amount of a civil penalty under this section shall be made taking into
             285      consideration the following:
             286          (a) the excavator's or operator's history of any prior violation or penalty;
             287          (b) the seriousness of the violation;
             288          (c) any discharge or pollution resulting from the damage;
             289          (d) the hazard to the health or safety of the public;
             290          (e) the degree of culpability and willfulness of the violation;
             291          (f) any good faith of the excavator or operator; and
             292          (g) any other factor considered relevant, including the number of past excavations
             293      conducted by the excavator, the number of location requests made by the excavator and the
             294      number of location markings made for the excavator or by the operator.
             295          (5) "Good faith," as used in Subsection (4)(f), includes actions taken before the filing
             296      of an action for civil penalty under this section to:
             297          (a) remedy, in whole or in part, a violation of this chapter; or
             298          (b) mitigate the consequences and damages resulting from a violation of this chapter.
             299          (6) (a) A civil penalty may not be imposed on an excavator if the damage to an
             300      underground facility results from an operator's:
             301          (i) failure to mark; or
             302          (ii) inaccurate marking or locating of the operator's underground facilities.
             303          (b) In addition to or in lieu of part of or all of a civil penalty, the excavator or operator
             304      may be required to undertake actions that are designed to prevent future violations of this
             305      chapter, including attending safety and compliance training, improving internal monitoring and
             306      compliance processes and procedures, or any other action that may result in compliance with
             307      this chapter.
             308          (7) Subsection (1) does not apply to an excavation made:
             309          (a) during an emergency, if reasonable precautions are taken to protect any


             310      underground facility;
             311          (b) in agricultural operations;
             312          (c) for the purpose of finding or extracting natural resources; or
             313          (d) with hand tools on property owned or occupied by the excavator.
             314          (8) (a) A civil penalty under this section is in addition to any damages that an operator
             315      or an excavator may seek to recover.
             316          (b) In an action brought under this section, the prevailing party shall be awarded its
             317      costs and attorney fees as determined by the court.
             318          Section 8. Section 54-13-8 is enacted to read:
             319          54-13-8. Violation of chapter -- Penalty.
             320          (1) Any person engaged in intrastate pipeline transportation who is determined by the
             321      commission, after notice and an opportunity for a hearing, to have violated any provision of
             322      this chapter or any rule or order issued under this chapter, is liable for a civil penalty of not
             323      more than $10,000 for each violation for each day the violation persists.
             324          (2) The maximum civil penalty assessed under this section may not exceed $500,000
             325      for any related series of violations.
             326          (3) The amount of the penalty shall be assessed by the commission by written notice.
             327          (4) In determining the amount of the penalty, the commission shall consider:
             328          (a) the nature, circumstances, and gravity of the violation; and
             329          (b) with respect to the person found to have committed the violation:
             330          (i) the degree of culpability;
             331          (ii) any history of prior violations;
             332          (iii) the effect on the person's ability to continue to do business;
             333          (iv) any good faith in attempting to achieve compliance;
             334          (v) the person's ability to pay the penalty; and
             335          (vi) any other matter, as justice may require.
             336          (5) (a) A civil penalty assessed under this section may be recovered in an action
             337      brought by the attorney general on behalf of the state in the appropriate district court, or before


             338      referral to the attorney general, it may be compromised by the commission.
             339          (b) The amount of the penalty, when finally determined, or agreed upon in
             340      compromise, may be deducted from any sum owed by the state to the person charged.
             341          (6) Any penalty collected under this section shall be deposited in the General Fund.


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